Agenda and minutes

Venue: remotely via video-conference

Items
No. Item

164.

Apologies

Minutes:

No apologies were received.

165.

Personal matters

Minutes:

Congratulations were extended to Urdd Gobaith Cymru on celebrating its centenary year, and for breaking two Guinness World Records for the number of posts on Facebook in 24 hours and uploading the highest number of people singing ‘Hei Mistar Urdd’ to Facebook and Twitter.

166.

Disclosure of Personal/ Prejudicial Interests.

Minutes:

Councillor Bryan Davies declared a personal and prejudicial interest in relation to item 173.

Councillor Ceredig Davies declared a personal and prejudicial interest in relation to item 176, confirming that he has been granted dispensation to speak on this matter by the Ethics and Standards Committee.

167.

A verbal update by the Leader of the Council in relation to COVID-19

Minutes:

The Leader provided an update on the current situation in relation to COVID-19.  It was noted that the latest figures show an improvement in the case levels but noted that they do not include the results from Lateral Flow Tests.

17 PCR cases were reported today, bringing the total to 10,713 since the beginning of the pandemic which equates to 260 per 100,000.  The positivity rate in the County is currently 24.6%.  She noted that internal data from the Contact Tracing Team which includes PCR test results and Lateral Flow Tests undertaken and registered online, suggests that the figure is closer to 541.6 per 100,000.  The majority of cases are among primary school age children, followed by Secondary School age children, and adults in the parent age group.

 

Our most recent report from the Hywel Dda University Health Board noted that there are currently no patients with COVID-19 in intensive care wards.

 

3 care homes are currently under restrictions, with positive cases among care home staff members, not residents.

 

Leisure Centres have re-opened, following a substantial amount of remedial work. Libraries will re-open from tomorrow with access to computers and the browsing.  Archives will also re-open tomorrow. Bookings must be made and face masks must be worn and social distancing maintained. It was noted that the Ceredigion Museum is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

 

All schools remain open however there have been staffing issues due to COVID-19 absences, and the availability of supply teachers.  One class at Aberporth Primary School has closed today and the pupils are being taught remotely. 

 

The Council’s Waste Collection service is now operating smoothly, with the majority of refuse collected last week.

168.

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the previous Meeting of the Cabinet and any matters arising from those Minutes. pdf icon PDF 222 KB

Minutes:

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on 11 January 2022.

169.

Any petitions received: (i) Petition from the residents of Rhos y Garth requesting a review of road safety on the A485 through the village; (ii) Re-open Ceredigion’s leisure facilities in line with the rest of Wales. pdf icon PDF 488 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was noted that the above petitions had been received and would be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines in the Petitions Protocol.

170.

Reports of any decisions (if any) having been called in from Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Minutes:

None

171.

Any feedback from Overview and Scrutiny Committee not otherwise on the agenda

Minutes:

None.

172.

To consider the report of the Corporate Lead Officer for Finance and Procurement upon the draft Budget for 2022/23 and the three year capital programme. pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

DECISION:

a) Approve three options for the draft base budget total at this stage of the budget process being £166.862m, £166.958m and £167.054m.

b) Consider recommending to the budget Overview and Scrutiny meetings three preferred options for the level of Council Tax to be proposed for 2022/23 being; 4.75%, 5.0% or 5.25% and to note that the draft Budget proposal is based on a working model of £1,479.69 for Band D properties for County Council purposes, representing an increase of 4.75%. A 5.0% increase allows for further expenditure / less savings of £96k and a 5.25% increase allows for further expenditure / less savings of £192k.

c) When the final settlement is issued the value of any further specific grants transferred into RSG will be passported through to the relevant Service’s budget;

d) When the final settlement is issued any other specific changes to be directly targeted to the affected Service(s), if appropriate; and

e) Any other change to the RSG will be dealt with by an adjustment to the Leadership Group corporate revenue budget.

f) Approve the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy set out in Appendix 4 and recommend to Council for approval.

g) Approve the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 5 and recommend to Council for approval.

h) Approve the Capital Strategy as set out in Appendix 6 and recommend to Council for approval.

i) Seek the views on this report of the Budget Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

 

Reason for the decision:

To enable budget preparation for 2022/23.

173.

To consider the report of the Corporate Lead Officer for People and Organisation upon HR Policies: (1) Driving at Work - Council Fleet and (2) Driving at Work - Use of Private Vehicles (Grey Fleet) policies including feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

DECISION:

1) To approve the Driving at Work – Council Fleet Policy

2) To approve the Driving at Work – Use of Private Vehicle (Grey Fleet) Policy

3) To note the feedback from the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

Reason for the decision:

To ensure compliance, protecting our workforce and wider community from harm, and supporting driver behaviour which reduces the risk of incidents.

 

174.

To consider the report of the Corporate Lead Officer for Porth Gofal upon the Amendments to the Private Sector Housing Grants and Loans Financial Policy for Ceredigion and Feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (to follow) pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

DECISION:

To defer this matter for consideration at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

175.

To consider the report of the Corporate Lead Officer for Highways and Environmental Services upon Active Travel Network Mapping (ATNM) Review including feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee pdf icon PDF 14 MB

Minutes:

DECISION:

1)    To endorse the Active Travel Network Mapping (ATNM) Review and future expansion of the Highway network and Asset management responsibilities in connection with Active Travel provision.

2)    To authorise submission of the document to Welsh Government

 

Reason for the decision:

To enable the Council’s statutory duties under the Active Travel (Wales) Act.

176.

To consider the report of the Corporate Lead Officer for Highways and Environmental Services upon Retaining elements of the Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs) in towns in Ceredigion including feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee pdf icon PDF 3 MB

Minutes:

DECISION:

To approve:

1) the making of the following Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders:

i) To amend the existing Countywide Parking Traffic Order, the Ceredigion County Council (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Unloading) Order 2019

ii) To manage the ‘moving’ regulations including one way traffic flows, prohibitions of right/left turn.

2) the publication of subsequent Notices of Making in the press.

3) To note the feedback from the Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Reason for the decision:

·         To enable the legal process behind the Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders to proceed to implementation.

·         To enable implementation of the said Orders.

·         To manage the ‘moving’ regulations

·         To manage the parking restrictions regulations.

177.

To consider the report of the Corporate Lead Officer for Economy and Regeneration upon River Teifi Nutrient Management Board pdf icon PDF 633 KB

Minutes:

DECISION:

To agree to the establishment of a Nutrient Management Board to be chaired by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for planning, with further work to be undertaken on collaboration with neighbouring authorities.

 

Reason for the decision:

To allow for further work to be undertaken around the phosphate and other nutrients situation in the Afon Teifi SAC and the creation of a plan to manage water quality improvements.

178.

To consider the report from the Corporate Lead Officer for Economy and Regeneration upon Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment 2022 including feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee pdf icon PDF 3 MB

Minutes:

DECISION:

1)    To agree to the submission of the GTAA to Welsh Government for ministerial approval

2)    To note the feedback from the Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Reason for the decision:

·       To ensure that the authority meets the requirement under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 to prepare a GTAA at least every 5 years.

·       To ensure an up to date and comprehensive evidence base is in place to inform the preparation of the replacement Local Development Plan 2018-2033 when formal pause of the LDP ends.

179.

Any other matter the Chairman decides is for the urgent attention of the Cabinet

Minutes:

None